Hospital Ejection Irks Union Officials

Union representatives handing out literature were ejected from Riverside Community Hospital’s employee parking garage by security guards with dogs Thursday morning, union officials complained.

The representatives were distributing information on contract negotiations between their Service Employees International Union and five California hospitals owned by the Hospital Corp. of America, which owns the Riverside hospital.

The garage is not one of several mutually agreed-upon areas, such as the cafeteria and hospital conference room, where union officials can pass out leaflets, said Tracy Dallarda, vice president of marketing at the Riverside hospital.

Union negotiator Dana Simon said the hospital was too-strictly interpreting the agreement to make the garage off-limits, and added that not only union staffers but employees were there about 6:30 a.m. handing out information.

Dallarda said two union staff members returned to the garage about 8:30 a.m. -- Simon said he was unaware of a return visit -- and were again told by security that they were trespassing and were asked to leave. The dogs are docile hospital therapy dogs in the guards’ care, Dallarda said.

“It’s just absolutely outrageous,” Simon declared of what he said were five security guards dispersing union members with two German shepherds.

Two union staff members were shoved by a security guard last week during a ceremony at another HCA hospital in the San Fernando Valley, according to union officials. Union members filed a complaint with police, Simon said.

Union members are unhappy with staff cuts and edicts from corporate headquarters without consulting the staff, Simon said.